Prebending device for thick strip



Feb. 13, 1968 J. w. O'BRIEN 3,363,378

PREBENDING DEVICE FOR THICK STRIP Filed Sept. 50, 1965 2 Shees-Sheet 1 I N VENTOR. JEAEM/AH 14 a 'BR/E/V ATTORNEK Feb. 13, 1968 J. w. O'BRIEN 3,368,378

PREBENDING DEVICE FOR THICK STRIP Filed Sept. 50, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N VENTOR. v JEREMIAH W. OER/EN ATTOR/VfV.

United States Patent 3,368,378 PREBENDING DEVICE FOR THICK STRIP Jeremiah Wagner OBrien, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to United Engineering and Foundry Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Fiied Sept. 30, 1965, Ser. No. 491,661 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Oct. 27, 1964, 43,852/ 64 9 Claims. (Cl. 72-148) The present invention relates to a strip-bending device for use in conjunction with a machine for winding fastmoving elongated material into coil form.

In the manufacturing of elongated metallic material, such as strip of heavy gauge, it is customary to provide a reel on which the strip is wound into coil form. Because of the thickness of the strip, the reel is provided with a gripper which grips the leading end of the strip and thereby causes it to take the form of the reel upon the rotation of the latter. Coiling heavy strip by means of a reel employing a gripper has been found to be an extremely difficult procedure in carrying out this operation. This is particularly true when the strip is of appreciable width, which makes the strip extremely difficult to feed into the gripper. Moreover, in coiling very thick strip, it has been found that even though a gripper is employed, the portion of the strip adjacent to the gripper cannot be sufliciently bent to conform with the periphery of the reel which portion then creates an objectionable impression on the outer conv-olutions. Furthermore, such an operation does not lend itself to the automatic threading of the strip on the reel, which in some instances completely rules out the employment of a reel with a strip gripper.

Belt wrappers have long been used to facilitate the automatic threading of a strip to a reel; however, belt wrappers are not feasible for coiling thick strip, because they do not have the sufiicient strength to bend the leading end of the strip around the reel. This limitation inherent in belt wrappers, to some extent, has been successfully overcome by providing a set of bending rolls in conjunction with the belt wrapper. Such a device is disclosed and claimed in US. Patent No. 2,937,821 which issued to Jeremiah W. OBrien on May 24, 1960. In this arrangement the bending rolls are built as an integral part of the belt wrapper apparatus. While, as mentioned, such devices have been successful in handling heavy gauge strip, their utilization has been limited by reason of the fact that in order to effect a bending by the pre-bending rolls the leading end of the strip must be delivered to them at a very low speed. This speed limitation is a result of the fact that the rolls are not all positively driven, nor is it feasible to drive all the rolls.

The present invention provides a strip-bending device for use with a belt wrapper, but arranged separate therefrom, which is so constructed and arranged as to bend the leading end and then automatically disengage itself from fast-moving strip once the leading end thereof has been pre-bent. Since in employing a reel and belt wrapper only the leading end of the strip should be pre-bent in order to facilitate its rapid coiling, it is important that the pre-bending device be controlled in such a manner as to insure that only the leading end of the strip is bent.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a strip-bending device which will automatically time itself with respect to the leading end of the strip so as to insure that only the leading end thereof will be pre-bent prior to the strip passing to the reel and belt wrapper for coiling.

In one form the present invention provides a set of nested strip-bending rolls, one of which is arranged on the side of the strip opposite the other two, the two opposite being rotated in the same direction at substantially a speed equal to the speed of the strip, the other roll being 3,368,378 Patented Feb. 13, 1968 rotated in the opposite direction at a speed greater than the speed of the strip sufiicient to cause a displacement of the other roll relative to the two opposite rolls when a strip is between the rolls, means for mounting the other roll so that it can be displaced relative to the two opposite rolls, wherein in one position the one roll will assume a strip-bending relationship with the two opposite rolls and in a second position, it will assume a non-bending relationship with said two opposite rolls.

In a still further form of this invention there is provided a strip-bending device consisting of a set of three rolls, two rolls being arranged on one side of the strip to engage one surface thereof, a third roll arranged on the opposite side of the strip to engage the opposite surface thereof and in a nesting relationship with said first two rolls, said third roll being mounted for movement relative to said first two rolls and displaceable in a direction towards and away from said strip, a means for quicklyurging said third roll away from the nesting relationship with the other two rolls.

These objects, as well as others, of the present invention, will be better understood when the following description is read along with the accompanying drawings of which:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view showing one form of a strip-bending device of the present invention in combination with a rolling mill, belt wrapper and reel,

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged elevational view, partly in section, of the strip-bending device shown in FIGURE 1, and

FIGURE 3 is an elevational view of a second embodiment of the present invention.

With reference to FIGURE 1, there is shown a rolling mill 11 consisting of a pair of work rolls 12 and 13, each of which is backed up in the customary manner by backup rolls 14 and 15. At the delivery side of the mill 11 there is provided a strip-bending apparatus 16 built in accordance with the present invention, which receives a strip S from the mill and delivers it to a reel 17 on which the strip is wrapped as assisted by a belt wrapper 18. The rolling mill 11, reel 17 and belt wrapper 18 have only been schematically illustrated in view of the fact that they are well-known units in the rolling mill art.

With reference now, in particular, to the strip-bending unit 16, it will be noted in FIGURE 1 that it consists of a pair of upper rolls 19 and 21 and a lower roll 22. The roll 19 is being driven by a motor 23, the roll 21 by a motor 24 and the roll 22 by a motor 25. The roll 22 being displaceable relative to the other rolls will be connected to the motor 25 by a universal coupling allowing relative movement between the motor and the roll.

In now referring to FIGURE 2, which is an enlarged view of the roll bender unit shown in FIGURE 1, the rolls 19 and 21 are rotatably received in a frame 26, the frame itself being pivotally carried by a pin 27 which in turn is carried by a housing 28. The pivotal frame 26 is adjustable about the pin 27 by a bolt 29 which is threadably received in the housing 28, and the bolt is adjusted and locked by a pair of nuts 31.

Similar construction is provided for the opposite side of the frame 26 where there is provided a bolt 32 which is threadably received in the housing 28, a pair of nuts 33 being provided in order to adjust the bolt 32. Between the two rolls 19 and 21 adjacent to their lower peripheries, there is provided a strip-guide plate 34 which prevents the leading end of the strip from passing between the rolls 19 and 21. With reference to the lower roll 22 shown in FIGURE 2, it is rotatably mounted on an arm 35, the arm being pivotally carried and adjusted vertically by a pin eccentric 36 which is received in the housing 28. To the right of the arm 35, midway between its two ends there is provided a horizontally arranged bolt 37 which is a threadably received in the housing 28 and adjustable by means of a pair of nuts 38.

As FIGURE 2 indicates by the arrows, the rolls 19 and 21 are rotated in a direction to advance the strip to the reel 17; they are rotated in a counterclockwise direction. The roller 22, likewise, is rotated in a direction to advance the strip to the reel 17, which in this case means that it is rotated in a clockwise direction. In the form of the invention illustrated, the roll 22 is driven at a surface speed significantly greater than the speed of the strip or the surface speed of the rolls 19 and 21. Of course, these same results could be obtained by employing a lower roll having a diameter larger than the other two rolls. As the leading end of the strip is fed into and below the nested rolls and has been pre-bent, the lower roll 22 will automatically be forced out of the nested relationship. This is accomplished by virtue of the differential in surface speed between the roll 22 and the strip, which will cause the roll to roll up the strip entering the rolls thereby causing the roll to be displaced toward the entry side relative to the other rolls and strip. In this manner only the leading end of the strip is pro-bent and the pre-bending operation is automatically discontinued once the leading end has passed through the bending rolls.

With reference now to the second embodiment of the present invention which is illustrated in FIGURE 3, there is again shown three nested rolls, namely, rolls 41 and 42 located on the upper side of the strip S and a lower roll 43, located at the lower side thereof. The rolls are driven in a manner similar to the embodiment illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2. This arrangement differs from FIGURE 2 is that the lower roll 43 is rotatably carried by an arm 44 which is pivotally carried and adjusted vertically by an eccentric pin 45; the arm, however is also vertically displaceable relative to the pin 45. For this purpose there is provided a slot 46 in the arm 44 into which the pin 45 extends, the pin being held against the lower portion of the slot 46 by a spring 47 which is contained in the slot. The lower end of the arm 44 is provided with a curved surface 48, which surface engages a roller 49. As shown, the roller 49 is rotatably received in the frame 50 and driven by a motor 51.

In this arrangement once the leading end of the strip has passed into the nested arrangement of rolls, it causes a vertical displacement of the lower roll 43 and arm 44 whereby the spring is compressed against the pin 45. This allows the surface 48 to contact the driven roller 49 which is rotated in a direction so as to displace the roll 43 in the direction opposite to the direction in which the strip is traveling whereby the roll is forced out of its nested relationship with respect to the rolls 41 and 42. In certain cases it may be desirable to knurl the roller 49 and the surface 48 of the arm 44 to improve the drive effect.

It will be appreciated that the length of the pre-bent section of the strip in the first embodiment can be varied by controlling the surface speed of the lower roll 22 in relationship to the strip speed. In the second embodiment, the length of the pre-bent section of the strip can be varied and controlled by adjusting the surface speed of the lower roll 43 or the speed of the driven roller 49 or by a combination of these two speeds.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained the principle and operation of my invention and have illustrated and described what I consider to represent the best embodiment thereof. However, I desire to have it understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

I claim:

1. In combination with a belt wrapper and reel wherein the wrapper conveys the leading end of the moving strip around the reel on which it is wound,

a prebending apparatus for the strip spaced from the belt wrapper adapted to receive the leading end of the strip prior to conveyance to the belt wrapper, comprising:

a frame,

a pair of rolls rotatably received in said frame and arranged on one side of the strip,

a third roll arranged on the opposite side of the strip across from said pair of rolls,

said third roll being carried by a member adapted to position the third roll in a nested relationship with respect to said pair of rolls to effect a prebending of the leading end of the strip, and

means for establishing a differential in the surface speed between the third roll and the strip of such a magnitude that once the leading end of the strip is fed between the rolls and a bending pressure is established to prebend the leading end, the member, with the third roll, will be automatically displaced out of the nested relationship.

2. An apparatus for prebending moving strip-like material comprising:

a frame,

a first means arranged on one side of the strip and carried by said frame,

a second means arranged on the opposite side of the strip wherein the strip is fed between said first and second means to effect a prebending thereof,

a member for mounting the second means so that the second means can be positioned first in an operative position relative to the first means and second in an inoperative position relative thereto,

means for rotating said first means in one direction,

and

means for rotating said second means in the opposite direction,

means for establishing a differential in the surface speed between the second means and the strip of such a magnitude that, upon the bending of the leading end of the strip fed between the first and second means and the development of the bending pressure incident thereto, said member with the second means will be caused to be automatically displaced out of the operative to the inoperative position.

3. An apparatus for prebending moving strip-like material comprising:

a frame,

a pair of spaced apart bending rolls arranged on one side of the strip and carried by said frame,

a third roll arranged on the opposite side of the strip wherein the strip is fed between the rolls to effect a prebending thereof,

a member for mounting the third roller so that it can be displaced relative to the pair of rolls and for positioning it in a nested relationship thereto,

means for rotating the pair of rolls in one direction,

and

means for rotating said third roll in the opposite direction,

means for establishing a differential in the surface speed between the third roll and the strip of such a magnitude that, upon the bending of the leading end of the strip fed between the rolls and the development of the bending pressure incident thereto, said member with the third roll will be caused to be displaced out of the nested relationship.

4. An apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said pair of rolls are carried by a support which is pivotally mounted on a shaft received in said frame, and including adjustable means for resisting pivotal movement on the rolls and means for urging the rolls into a predetermined position.

5. In an apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said member includes an eccentric pin adjustable so as to vary the distance between the third roll and the pair of rolls.

6. In an apparatus according to claim 3 including means for preventing said member from moving beyond a predetermined position in at least one direction,

7. In an apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said third roll is formed with a larger diameter than the pair of rolls thereby developing a surface speed in excess of the passing strip.

8. In an apparatus according to claim 3 including means for driving said pair of rolls at a constant speed, and

means for driving said third roll at a speed greater than said constant speed.

9. In an apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said member is displaceable relative to a shaft about which 15 it is pivotally mounted,

the shaft being carried by said frame,

means for urging said member in the direction of said pair of rolls,

force exerting means arranged and constructed to be contacted by said member only upon displacement thereof against the force of said urging means,

said force exerting means generating a force which will assist in displacing the member and the third roll out of the the nested relationsihp when contacted by said member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,258,091 3/1918 Clark 72l46 1,874,280 8/1932 Gibbons 72-146 2,937,821 5/1960 OBrien 72148 RICHARD J. HERBST, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A BELT WRAPPER AND REEL WHEREIN THE WRAPPER CONVEYS THE LEADING END OF THE MOVING STRIP AROUND THE REEL ON WHICH IT IS WOUND, A PREBENDING APPARATUS FOR THE STRIP SPACED FROM THE BELT WRAPPER ADAPTED TO RECEIVE THE LEADING END OF THE STRIP PRIOR TO CONVEYANCE TO THE BELT WRAPPER COMPRISING: A FRAME, A PAIR OF ROLLS ROTATABLY RECEIVED IN SAID FRAME AND ARRANGED ON ONE SIDE OF THE STRIP, A THIRD ROLL ARRANGED ON THE OPPOSITE OF THE STRIP ACCROS FROM SAID PAIR OF ROLLS, SAID THIRD ROLL BEING CARRIED BY A MEMBER ADAPTED TO POSITION THE THIRD ROLL IN A NESTED RELATIONSHIP WITH RESPECT TO SAID PAIR OF ROLLS TO EFFECT A PREBENDING OF THE HEATING END OF THE STRIP, AND MEANS FOR ESTABLISHING A DIFFERENTIAL IN THE SURFACE SPEED BETWEEN THE THIRD ROLL AND THE STRIP OF SUCH A MAGNITUDE THAT ONCE THE LEADING END OF THE STRIP 